'Blue Valentine' Trailer and Clip (2010, dir. Derek Cianfrance)

The MPAA just slapped the dreaded “NC-17” rating onto this Weinstein year-end release, leading many prognosticators to sound the death knell for the film’s Oscar chances, even after the film played to raves at international film festivals such as Sundance, Cannes, and Toronto.

Clearly, American audiences need to get over the ham-fisted notion that cinematic sex and nudity are what their children need to be shielded from.

With endorsements from a tidal wave of critics who believe Blue Valentine is being unfairly judged for its realistic depictions of sex, look for the film to gain even more traction in the awards game thanks to a little good old-fashioned controversy. The film may have actually been given a new lease on life, rather than a death sentence after all.

Stars Gosling and Williams look to be at the very top of their games.

Matt Mazur is a Brooklyn-based film publicist who works on campaigns for documentaries, independent and foreign language films. A die-hard cinephile and lover of pop culture, he spends his free time writing about what he is not working on. Follow him on Twitter @Matt_Mazur